Specialist in Oral Surgery and Head of Service, Cambridge University Dental Service, 3 Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1QA.
Br Dent J. 2011 Mar 26;210(6):E9. doi: 10.1038/sj.bdj.2011.201.
In the United Kingdom in 2006, 5,325 persons were diagnosed with oral cancer; and in 2007 it caused around 1,850 deaths. The purpose of this study was to assess the patient awareness, in a dental access centre, of a poster and leaflet campaign providing information about smoking and excess alcohol consumption as risk factors in the development of oral cancer, and to explore dental patients' beliefs and perceptions about these risk factors.
Posters and leaflets providing information about risk factors for oral cancer were displayed in the patient waiting areas of a dental access centre. Data were collected prospectively in relation to the smoking and drinking habits of patients attending the centre. This information was used to categorise patients into one of four groups ranging from low to high consumption. During triage, patients were asked if they had read any of the information about oral cancer that was on display, and patients in the high risk groups were asked to participate in a semi-structured interview that would explore their knowledge about risk factors and their views on the delivery of healthcare messages in relation to oral cancer.
Data on risk status and exposure to the poster and leaflet campaign were collected for 1,161 patients attending during the study period. More than 50% of these patients were smokers, with 36% in the high or very high tobacco and alcohol use groups. Approximately 40% of patients within each consumption group had read any of the information available. Nine patients agreed to be interviewed and overall knowledge about risk factors for oral cancer, even after reading the information was poor.
Dental access centres attract a significant number of patients with lifestyle habits that make them vulnerable to oral cancer, and as such are well placed to deliver oral health messages to this high risk group. However, the delivery of information through a simple poster and leaflet campaign is likely to have limited impact.
2006 年，英国有 5325 人被诊断患有口腔癌；2007 年，该病导致约 1850 人死亡。本研究旨在评估在牙科接入中心，一个关于吸烟和过量饮酒作为口腔癌发展风险因素的海报和传单活动，在患者中的知晓率，并探讨牙科患者对这些风险因素的信念和看法。
在牙科接入中心的患者等候区展示了提供有关口腔癌风险因素的海报和传单。前瞻性收集有关中心就诊患者吸烟和饮酒习惯的数据。这些信息用于将患者分为低到高消费的四个组之一。在分诊时，询问患者是否阅读了展示的任何有关口腔癌的信息，将高风险组的患者邀请参加半结构化访谈，以探讨他们对风险因素的了解以及对口腔癌相关医疗保健信息传递的看法。
在研究期间，共有 1161 名就诊患者的风险状况和暴露于海报和传单活动的数据被收集。这些患者中有超过 50%是吸烟者，其中 36%处于高或极高的烟草和酒精使用组。大约 40%的每个消费组的患者阅读了可用的任何信息。有 9 名患者同意接受访谈，总体上对口腔癌风险因素的了解，即使在阅读信息后也很差。
牙科接入中心吸引了大量有生活方式习惯的患者，使他们容易患上口腔癌，因此非常适合向这个高风险群体传达口腔健康信息。然而，通过简单的海报和传单活动来传递信息，可能效果有限。
